Accordion-type doors and the like



July 14, 1959 R'QSENFELD 2,894,573

ACCORDION-TYPE DOORS AND THE LIKE I Filed March 19, 1958 [so 1 L ELI 7r -..4

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United States Patent g g I z,ssv4,s7s

ACCORDION-TYPE poons AND THE LIKE Joseph Rosenfeld, New York, N.Y.

- Application March 19, 1958, Serial No. 722,414

Claims. (Cl. 160-84) The present invention relates to accordion-type doors and room partitioners made of hingedly related panels which are suspended from a track above them and more particularly to the manner in which said panels are suspended. This invention is applicable regardless of the material and structure of the panel members and the way they are hinged to one another to permit folding and unfolding of the accordion pleat format.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved association of the hingedly related panels of an accordion-type foldable closure with the fixed track means from which they are suspended and along which they ride when the closure is being folded and unfolded, so that without the use of limiting links between the panels, they are constantly maintained so that successive panels are in angular relation, can never assume coplanar relation and therefore the closure will always be in workable condition.

Another object thereof is to provide a novel and improved construction in foldable accordion-type closures of the character mentioned, which is easy to manufacture, simplifies assembly costs and procedures thus decreasing the over all cost of manufacture and which is efficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds. I

For the practice of this invention, in one form it may assume, there is a shank extending upwardly from each panel to the track means fixed above the closure, where each shank is engaged for sliding movement therealong and each shank is capable of rotary movement about its longitudinal axis. All the panels are of equal width and when the closure is spread fiat, the distances between the longitudinal center lines of successive panels and the distances between the longitudinal center lines of the shanks on successive panels are all equal. However, the longitudinal center line of each shank is to one side of the longitudinal center line of the panel it is on, a relatively short distance along the direction of panel width. All odd numbered shanks are maintained in one row and all even numbered shanks are maintained in another row along the track; such rows being spaced and parallel.

I have shown two ways for maintaining the two loci of shank movement. The first is to have a track made of two parallel channels. The modified form is to have a single channel in which blocks ride; a shank being rotatably mounted on each block respectively through a hole in the block. The holes in one set of alternate blocks being near one side end of such blocks and the holes in the other set of alternate blocks being near the other side end of such second set of block. The side ends of said blocks are those which are along panel width.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 shows an accordion-type door embodying the 2 teachings of this invention. The door is here shown in closed condition.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at lines 22 in Fig. 1. The track here, has two channels.

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of one form of fitting including a headed shank to be mounted onto the top edge of a panel of the foldable closure.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a slightly different form of such fitting.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing another form of such fitting, for use when the track means is a single channel.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of such single channel.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the top plan view of the accordion-type closure in a partially open condition, showing the shanks which are associated with the few panels illustrated, in the parallel paths provided for shank travel. I

Fig. 8 is like Fig. 7, except that the closure is shown in a more closed condition.

Fig. 9 is like Fig. 7, except that the fittings of Fig. 5 are used here, while in the representations shown in Figs. 7, .8 and 10, the fittings of either Figs. 3 or 4 are used.

Fig. 10 is a view like Fig. 7 but the hinge section between adjacent panels of the accordion closure, afford more play, which is useful as will be explained.

Figs. 7-10 are all drawn to a single scale which is smaller than that of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a magnified section taken at lines 11-11 in Fig. 1, showing one form of the construction of the closure member.

In the drawings, the numeral 15 designates generally a closure or curtain member of a construction defining vertical hinge lanes 16 for a panel formation which is foldable accordion-wise. For instance, member 15 may be made of even-width panels 17, spaced apart, side by side, and secured as a unitary structure by being cemented onto front and back vinyl sheetings 18, 19 their entire length; said sheetings adhering to each other in the spaces between and along the panels, to provide the flexible lanes 16 which serve to associate successive panels in hinged relation to afford the accordion-wise movement. The side ends of the member 15 usually have a stick in each of the tunnels 20 and 21, the height of such closure mem ber. In most instances, one such end stick is secured to the wall 22, while the other is manipulated to open and close the member 15 which is useable as a door or a room divider.

A shank like 23 having a head 23' at its free end,*extends upwardly from the upper edge of each of the panels; the mounting of which may be in any suitable manner, as for instance having such shank, part of a channel component 24, which may be stapled, riveted or otherwise secured to the panel as shown at 25.

As mentioned, all the panels 17 are of equal width. When the curtain or closure member 15 is spread out flat, the distances between the longitudinal center lines of successive panls and the distances between the longitudinal center lines of the are all equal. However, the said shanks are so positioned on the panels, that the longitudinal center line of each shank is to one side of the longitudinal center line of the panel it is on, a relatively short distance along the direction of panel width, as is indicated by the distance A; the point B denoting the longitudinal center line of the panel. To aid manufacture, the mounting piece 26 is provided with the channel 24 of a length substantially the width of a panel, and the headed shank 23 is integral therewith and properly off-set the distance A. If desired, the mounting piece may be as shown at 29. In any event, to effect proper positioning of the shanks on.

shanks on successive panels Q the panels, it is advisable to use suitable positioning jigs so that upon assembly, the distance A is maintained.

The shanks are mounted in track means along which they are free to slide, thus suspending the foldable closure 15 from said track means indicated generally as 30, which is a member secured along the upper rail of a door opening or along the ceiling of a room.

This track means 30 may comprise a double channel. Alternate shanks are engaged in the channel 31 and the remaining shanks are engaged in the channel 32. It is to be noted that each shank is turnable about its longitudinal axis.

In the diagrammatic representations illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 10, the line 31 denotes the line along which one set of alternate shanks move in the track channel 31, and the line 32' indicates the line along which the remaining shanks move in the track channel 32. The distance between these parallel loci is most practical to be twice distance A to permit compact folding of the closure 15, as is clearly evident from the difference in extent of fold as shown in the Figs. 7 and 8. It is important to note that at no time is it possible to extend the closure so that the panels or any two of them shall assume coplanar relation, because the loci 31, 32' are in spaced relation. The angular relation of successive panels is therefore constantly assured.

A modified embodiment attaining the dictates of this invention, utilizes a single channel track 33 in which instance, the fitting on the panels assumes the form shown generally as 34, where the essential difference over the fittings 26 and 29, is that on the shank 35 there is a rotatably mounted block 39 which is slidably fitted in the channel 33, so that the remainder of this fitting is free to swivel about the longitudinal axis of the shank 35. The distance of this axis from the center of the block is A, and if the set up is arranged as shown in Fig. 9, it is evident that alternate shanks will move along line 31 and the other set of alternate shanks will move along the line 32.

When both side ends 2i) and 21 of the closure member are free for movement, each panel 17 is provided with a shank fitting. However, if one of the ends is fixed, then it becomes necessary to have the panel section adjacent or some good part of it to be of flexible material as indicated diagrammatically at 36, and no shank fitting thereon. But such requirement is avoided if the hinge-affording sections 16 are made wide enough to permit its distortion from the form indicated at 16 to that shown at 16 so that one panel may move though the one next to it is held stationary. In Fig. 10 the panel represented by the straight line portion 37 is shown moved to position 37 in respect to the panel represented by the straight line portion 38, which is deemed stationary during such movement. What has been said here, applies equally to the modified structure represented in Fig. 9, because the condition illustrated in Fig. 10 is applicable to Fig. 9 if the hinge-aflording sections were therein included.

As a suggestion, it is practical to mold the fittings 26, 29, 34 of nylon or other suitable plastic.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being bad to the following claims rather than to the specific showings and description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a folding accordion-type door and the like, a closure member arranged to fold zig-Zag into vertical panels of equal width, an elongated track member adapted to be secured near the closure member along the top edge thereof, a series of elements positioned in succesSion along the track member and independently slidable therealong thereon; each of said elements presenting a downward shank respectively; each panel of a series of successive panels, depending from one of said shanks respectively; the axes of alternate shanks being in one plane and the axes of the remaining shanks being in a second plane; said planes being spaced and parallel, all of said shanks being axially turnable in relation to said track member; the respective distances between the axes of turn of the shanks which are on any two successive panels and the respective distances between the vertical center lines of successive panels, being all equal to each other when measured along the closure member spread flat; the vertical center line of each panel being a predetermined distance from the axis of turn of its associated shank.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the distance between the mentioned planes is substantially twice the distance between the vertical center line of a panel and the axis of turn of its associated shank.

3. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the track member comprises two spaced parallel channels; alternate elements being in one of said channels and the remainder of said elements being in the other of said channels.

4. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said elements are held on said track without turning in relation thereto; each shank being engaged by one of said elements respectively and axially turnable thereon.

5. An article as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said elements is a block and the track member is a channel; each block having a hole to receive a shank revolvably therein; the shanks being in said holes respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNKTED STATES PATENTS 2,667,218 Collins Jan. 26, 1954 

